But despite the great expense and commitment many people still get great danes, they are too lovable, their personalities too great, and they are just too good looking to say no. So, if you find yourself searching for a breeder because you can’t find a sign in the paper saying great dane puppies for sale here are some tips.

I would first talk to people that you know. If you are considering getting a great dane, you probably know someone that has one or has had on in the past. Start by asking these people who they have delt with to get their great danes. Word of mouth is the best advertising and this is also the best way to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable breeder.

Online searches are always a great place to start if you don’t have any other options but not always the best place to actually find what you are looking for. However they can give you some contacts to start with. A simple great dane puppies for sale search will return you many options.

Once you find a couple of breeders I would suggest going to visit. You want to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable dealer and not just a puppy mill. Breeders should keep a clean area for the dogs and have the ability to keep dogs separated if need be. A special consideration with great danes is to find out what their policy is for ear clipping. It is up to you, but be aware that some breeders clip them all when they are born.

You should be willing to travel. Great dane breeders are not usually in the residential areas and there are not many of them around, so if you want a puppy you may need to be willing to drive a couple hundred miles to see what you are getting.

Most great dane breeders take great pride in their animals. Many will specialize in a specific coat or color. Most breeders will be active in the show circuit and many breeders will also want to have the option to breed your pet in the future. Make sure that you know what is expected of the you if you make a purchase.

It is also important to get the proper health test done, or have documentation from the breeder. Danes are prone to certain health problems so it is a good idea to check with the breeder to see about family history and any other issues that you may need to be aware of.

So, keep your eyes open for the great dane puppies for sale and get one before they get too big.

We actually argued for quite some time about what kind of dog to get. I wanted something ferocious and dangerous, she being the wiser one wanted something that would not kill our children and scare the crap out of the neighbors.

My first recollection of a great dane is not good. As a small child I remember being barked at by one of these giant beast, not a good experience. And, little to my knowledge this jaded me into adulthood. I had for the last 25 years believed great danes to be ferocious killers and I was still scared of them. The realization that they are gentle giants came as a welcome shock, once I realized that they are scary looking but not scary I was easy to convince.

Surprisingly enough shortly after our agreement an old friend called out of the blue and offered us a great dane puppy, free of charge. Wow, these dogs are expensive and we were offered one for free. Talk about meant to be or a match made in heaven. We agreed to pick him up right away.

We named him Klaus and he was a fine little blue merle dane. He had funny markings and his feet were so big he could hardly walk. He was a darling and we fell for him. Having just lost two dogs tragically we greatly appreciated this new great dane puppy and went to work spoiling him with enough love to make our children jealous. We bought him toys, we taught him tricks, we walked him and let him sleep in our bed (not suggested for a great dane).

And for financial reasons we put his vaccinations off for a couple weeks. Not thinking this was a big deal we didn’t give it a second thought. I took him to the grocery store and we took him walking at a local, very busy park.

First, he threw up and we didn’t think much of it, it was after a long hike and it wasn’t all that unusual, but then he started spiraling downhill. He couldn’t control, his bowls, he threw up more, and he looked miserable. I took poor Klaus to the vet and they told me he had Parvo. This is basically a death sentence and the worst part is that it is totally preventable. All you need is to get regular shots. If you can’t afford them from a vet you can get them from a feed store and do it yourself for less than $10.

A couple thousand dollars later, yes we tried to keep him alive, our great dane puppy died 6 weeks after we got him. This lead to a long dark period for my wife but taught us some very valuable lessons. If you get a pet make sure you have the means and the knowledge to take care of them, they are a responsibility and a privilege. We have since had another great dane puppy, but we have never forgotten this painful lesson.

People are often attracted to great danes because they are such fabulous beasts, but a large animal that is really only happy living amongst its owners can become a nuisance if the family is a bad match.

I will be the first to tell you that if you have carpet get rid of it. Expect lunch to disappear if you turn your back for a second, and oh god the poop. God forbid you actually having to clean up an accident inside. They are hard to take care of and they are expensive. Danes are more than many families can handle and for this reason many of them end up abandon and in great dane rescue shelters.

Here are a couple of excellent reasons to get a great dane from a rescue shelter:

Getting a puppy is fun but the joy quickly wears off especially if you have done it before. Getting a house trained dog that is not in puppy phase can ensure that you new pet helps relieve your stress, not add to it.

Getting a rescue dog means that you are helping out. You are making a difference in the dogs life and ensuring that dane will come to a good loving home.

It is cheaper. Great danes can cost $1500 or more, getting one from a great dane rescue shelter will usually cost you nothing more than the adoption fee.

Great danes are very adaptable animals, they usually mesh well with a new family. They are very people oriented and eager to please. They love to play and they love attention. Danes from shelters will usually adapt to a new family very quickly.

Rescue organizations offer a great service for animals, they are a great alternative to kill shelters and pounds, but to keep them open we have to use them. Getting a dog from a rescue shelter is goes a long way to ensure that they will stay open and be able to continue offering their humane animal adoptions. Great dane rescue shelters are a great way to find your next pet.

They are not cheap, if you are looking for a puppy from the Walmart parking lot, you will not find a great dane here. These are pure breed pups and because if this will command a much higher price than more common brands. That said they are also much more rare than many other breeds. Expect to spend in the neighborhood of $600 – $1500 for a pup.

They will eat a ton and they will still look like concentration camp survivors. Big dogs like this will not eat as much as expected when they get older but in the growing phase you can expect to feed a great dane puppy 6 – 10 cups of food per day. I would feed at least 2 times per day and then let them out. It does not take long for the food to digest and cleaning up after a 50 lbs puppy is one of the less desirable aspects of owning a giant dog. Despite the amount they eat, they will still look crazy skinny. All of the nutrients are going into the making of a huge dog, don’t expect them to fill out until they get to around 2 years old.

They chew, and they chew, and then they chew some more. They will chew furniture, they will chew toys, they will chew you. Get used to it. Anything that gets chewed is your fault not theirs, engineer their environment so they don’t chew things that they are not suppost to chew.

They are smart but they are stubborn. Despite what many people say Great danes are some of the most intelligent beast I have ever worked with, but they are stubborn. They will do what they want when they want, but they also love to please their masters. Training is important because they are so dang big. Start training when they are puppies so you avoid problems when they are full grown.

Get great dane puppies their shots. Because of their low body fat they are more susceptible to wasting diseases like Parvo than other breeds, it only takes a one animal in the area or even in the area in the last couple of years and your puppy could catch a vaccine preventable illness.

Great danes are truly fine animals, I will never personally own a different type of dog after having the opportunity to own a great dane. Considering that danes are relatively short lived animals getting a great dane puppy is a great way to prolong the enjoyment and the bonding time you have with these fine beasts.